Unveiling Dark Matter: How It Might Form Black Holes That Consume Exoplanets from Within

New research is shaking up our understanding of dark matter and its connection to black holes. Scientists propose that dark matter could gather over long periods at the center of Jupiter-sized planets, eventually forming black holes that consume these planets from the inside out. This idea opens the door to using exoplanets—planets outside our solar system—to study the elusive dark matter.

Here’s how it works: superheavy dark matter particles might get trapped within these planets. As they lose energy, they drift toward the planet’s core. Eventually, they could accumulate enough mass to collapse into a small black hole. This black hole would then start to “devour” its host planet.

But this process has its limitations. If dark matter particles could annihilate one another, it wouldn’t be possible for them to gather enough mass to form a black hole. This means some popular dark matter candidates, like axions (which have very little mass), get ruled out of this scenario.

According to Mehrdad Phoroutan-Mehr from the University of California, Riverside, “If the dark matter particles are heavy enough and don’t annihilate, they may eventually collapse into a tiny black hole.” This highlights the critical factors that determine whether dark matter can form black holes in this unique way.

It’s interesting to note that current black holes—known as stellar mass black holes—are usually formed when massive stars run out of fuel and undergo a supernova explosion. The remnants of these stars can then collab into black holes, with a minimum mass set by physical laws. The lightest confirmed black hole is around 3.8 times the mass of our sun, which shows the weight limits of the stars that give rise to these cosmic phenomena.

If dark matter black holes form as predicted, they would be significantly smaller than stellar mass black holes, matching the mass of the planets they consume. This process could happen in various gaseous exoplanets, leading to the formation of multiple black holes over time.

Phoroutan-Mehr suggests that surveys of exoplanets could be a way to look for superheavy dark matter particles, especially in regions where dark matter is believed to be abundant, like the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The identification of a black hole the size of a planet would be groundbreaking. It could lend strong support to this theory about superheavy dark matter.

Currently, over 5,000 exoplanets have been discovered, presenting a large field for research. Additionally, some scientists think dark matter might also become trapped in neutron stars, causing them to heat up, which could lead to further insights into the nature of dark matter.

Future telescopes and missions are expected to enhance our ability to detect these cosmic signals. As technology progresses, we may uncover vital information about dark matter through these fascinating celestial bodies. For more on this groundbreaking research, check out the details published in the journal Physical Review D.

In summary, as we delve deeper into the mysteries of dark matter and its potential ties to black holes, we might be standing on the brink of a major breakthrough in our understanding of the universe.

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